Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario to hold strike vote as contract talks stall

The Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario announced it will hold a strike vote as contract negotiations with the province have largely stalled, escalating tensions in Ontario's education labour dispute.

Shirley Bell, ETFO's first vice-president, confirmed the strike vote to CityNews this week. The union did not specify a date for the vote. The announcement came days after the Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association scheduled its own strike vote for November, signalling a coordinated show of force by education unions.

OECTA told members that a strike vote would send a message to the government about the need for meaningful progress at the bargaining table. Ontario's five main education unions have presented a united front as they entered contract talks with the province, demanding smaller class sizes, increased support for special education, and wage increases.

The stalled negotiations have become tangled in a dispute over which issues should be bargained centrally versus locally. The Ontario Labour Relations Board is examining the question. Unions accuse Education Minister Paul Calandra of pushing local issues into the central bargaining sphere, citing certain working conditions as examples of problems being negotiated at the wrong level.

The Ministry of Education responded sharply to the strike announcements. "Premature strike threats do not serve the interests of students and do nothing but create unnecessary panic for parents," a spokesperson said. "Our focus is where it should be – getting to the table and reaching a deal that keeps students in the classroom."

The ministry also blamed unions for delays, saying they are holding up progress with appeals to the OLRB. "Once the OLRB process has concluded, we will be ready and willing to negotiate whenever the unions are ready to begin," the ministry said.

ETFO represents approximately 84,000 members, including public elementary teachers, occasional teachers, education support personnel, professional support personnel, and designated early childhood educators. Ontario teacher contracts expired on August 31, 2026, with no deal reached, and teachers and education workers began contract talks with the province on June 3, 2026.